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Jakub Dobes faced a hostile crowd at KeyBank Center Monday night, but the Montreal Canadiens goalie thrived under pressure. Despite the Buffalo Sabres rallying from a 2-0 deficit to tie Game 7 in the third period, Dobes stood tall. His 37 saves, including a critical stop on Tage Thompson in overtime, helped Montreal secure a 3-2 victory on Alex Newhook’s overtime goal, winning the series 4-3.
“Their fans like to chant my name… I like that, too,” Dobes said. “Thanks for that. Actually, that was giving me fire because I like when you’re the villain.”
Dobes delivered a strong bounce-back performance after getting pulled in Game 6 following an 8-3 loss at home. He described getting pulled as a “wake-up call” that motivated him for Monday’s decisive game.
Montreal jumped to a 2-0 lead with goals from Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc. Buffalo responded with goals by Jordan Greenway and Rasmus Dahlin, forcing overtime.
Dobes made several key saves, including denying Jack Quinn on a breakaway in the first period and blocking Thompson late in the second. He also prevented a loose puck from slipping in with eight minutes left in the third, fueling Montreal’s resilience.
“He’s been great this whole playoffs, honestly,” said Canadiens winger Josh Anderson. “We have the utmost confidence in him back there. He’s made some huge saves in both series. You just knew he was going to have a big night.”
Bolduc echoed the sentiment, praising Dobes’ character and determination. “That proves how much character he has, how much he wants to win. He’s been our best player since the first game of the playoffs. We had all our confidence in him. We’re not surprised the way he bounced forward.”
Dobes credited focus and composure as crucial in overtime. “You just got to do everything, you got to give everything you have, everything that’s left in a tank… got to go all out,” he said. “You got to keep telling yourself, ‘No, the puck won’t go in, they’re not going to score.’ Trick your brain and be there for the guys. I love the team and everyone so much. I will do anything, however long as it takes, to get the win.”
Defenceman Mike Matheson acknowledged Dobes’ brilliance, saying the goalie “gives us so much confidence and keeps us in so many games.” He also noted the team’s struggles in Game 6 but praised Dobes for standing firm against a Buffalo team that played well in the second period.
Coach Martin St. Louis talked about the importance of resetting after Game 6’s loss. “There’s not much emotion attached to the process. We just tell the truth, we move on,” he said. “Game 7 for me, it’s about finding ways. I thought we did that. Was that our best game? No, but we had pockets throughout that game and found a way to win.”
With the win, the Canadiens advance to the Eastern Conference final to face the Carolina Hurricanes, who had a well-rested break before starting the series Thursday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
